Letters to the Editor

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Vote "yes" in 2012

Dear Editor:

I would like all the folks in Barry County to read this and take a serious look at voting "yes" on the E-911 tax.

My career in the fire service in Kansas allowed me to assist emergency management in establishing our E-911 system. Let me assure you that when your child is not breathing or you have a structure fire or criminal activity going on, that's not the time for dispatching delays, outdated phone systems or outdated notification boxes. You don't want your firefighters, emergency medical services or law enforcement running code three responses with poor dispatching. This puts them and citizens at risk due to high speed accidents while trying to get to you to help you.

Was the dispatch center underfunded at the start? Probably, but in Kansas, we had unexpected expenses such as repeater towers to cover dead spots in the response area and miscellaneous equipment not performing up to manufacturer spec.

We can't go back and you won't be happy if they have to. Please don't allow the City of Monett to dictate policy to the thousands of citizens throughout our county. Vote "yes" in 2012 to retain our excellent dispatch center and fund it properly. This could be the most important decision of your life. Literally!

Thanks for reading,

LR "Smokey" Stover

retired fire captain and

training officer

Cassville, Missouri

Each vote is sacred

Dear Editor:

I am a voter of the 911 tax issue that failed in November 2011. This letter is not about winning or losing. It is about throwing my first vote out the window, because the issue was defeated.

I have always believed my vote was sacred once delivered to the box and counted. Now, I read that a second vote is being taken because "the voters didn't understand what they were really voting for."

Give us a break. We, the voters, did understand every word and voted to tell you. Barry County Emergency Service, a government power, decided to cancel out this last vote and put the 911 tax issue on the ballot to be voted on again in February. How many times? Who is paying for this unnecessary added cost? Voters?

All I know is from this situation I feel they took away my loyalty to voting.

Sincerely,

Charlotte M. Travis

Shell Knob, Missouri

Barry County 911

is here for you

Dear Editor:

Hopefully you will never need to call 911. But like most things in life, no one can plan when or how an emergency will happen. Fortunately, if you ever do encounter an emergency, Barry County 911 is here for you 24 hours a day seven days a week.

What would you do if you or a family member were to have a medical emergency, if someone was trying to break into your home, if your home were to catch on fire, a tornado destroyed your neighborhood, or if a thug was threatening to rob you? What you can now do is call one number at Barry County 911, where trained dispatchers can send an appropriate response to your emergency situation. This saves time, which saves lives.

Unfortunately, Barry County 911 is in a dire financial situation. Barry County 911 will cease operations on or about Dec. 31, 2012, if we do not obtain the desperately needed financial support.